Eli moved swiftly along the shadowed path, his cloak tugged tight against the breeze as moonlight filtered through the canopy above. He was focused every step calculated, his thoughts replaying the strategy he'd laid out for the hunt.
Then
Thud!
He collided into someone just around a bend in the trail, causing him to stumble back a step. His hand instinctively went to his blade, but stopped short when he saw who it was.
"Watch where you're…"
Her voice cut off mid-sentence, just as her eyes met his.
Lysia.
Even in the dim forest light, she stood out like fire in the fog.
Her long, platinum silver hair shimmered in soft waves down to her waist, catching the moonlight with every shift. Her eyes icy violet with flecks of silver were both piercing and unreadable. They held the elegance of nobility but with a quiet intensity that made people either step aside or stare too long. She wore the academy's tailored combat uniform dark leather with silver trim fitting her lean figure like it was stitched to her skin.
Beautiful wasn't quite the word.
She was… striking.
Effortless grace with a sharpness beneath, like a blade wrapped in silk.
"You," she said, narrowing her eyes.
He blinked, stunned by her beauty and elegance a commoner like him with a more commanding presence.
"Y-Yeah," he managed. "Sorry. I wasn't expecting anyone out here."
Her gaze swept over him, resting briefly on the hilt of his blade and the light pack strapped to his side.
"You're not out here for a stroll," she said plainly.
Eli hesitated, then straightened his back. "No. I have something to take care of."
Lysia raised a brow. "In the forest. Alone. At night."
She wasn't asking she was assessing.
"I'm careful," he replied.
"I'm sure you are," she said, then turned to glance down the trail he came from. "Still, you're either very brave… or very foolish."
He offered a small, crooked smile. "A little of both, maybe."
That drew the faintest upward twitch from her lips. Not a smile. But close.
She stepped aside, letting him pass, but her eyes lingered on him.
"Try not to get yourself killed, Eli," she said as he walked by.
He paused. Looked back.
"You too, Lysia."
And just like that, they went their separate ways moonlight catching silver hair and determined eyes, two threads crossing in the dark before being pulled apart once more.
The great bell of the academy tolled once, Students poured out chatting and laughing in groups, some headed for dinner, others to their dorms. Eli, however, moved alone quietly weaving through the crowd, his hood drawn low.
Every step toward the gate felt heavier.
He had already packed what little he needed: a reinforced short blade, a compact mana torch, minor healing salves, and two mana suppression stones he'd traded a favor for. It wasn't much, but it had to be enough.
He slipped through the west corridor, ducking behind one of the abandoned storage wings. The patrol routes changed every few days, but tonight, he had timed everything. The western exit was left unguarded for a short window barely ten minutes.
Perfect.
He crouched by the wall, peeking around the edge.
With a quiet exhale, he darted into the open, his boots silent against the stone, and disappeared into the tree line just beyond the academy's outer wall.
Minutes later, deep in the dark woods, Eli paused.
He knelt by a patch of disturbed earth. Claw marks. Deep, fresh. He pressed two fingers into the groove.
Definitely a Wildfang.
He pulled out a folded parchment a crudely drawn map of the terrain.
"There's a stream here," he muttered, pointing to the lower slope near the ravine. "Wildfangs drink late at night. If I circle from above and trap its flank near the rocks..."
It wasn't the strongest plan. But it relied on speed, timing, and the element of surprise atleast all that time in Master Faelan class is finally being useful.
He wasn't strong enough for a drawn out battle. His best chance was to catch it isolated and take it down with one clean strike preferably through the throat or heart.
[Mission Active]
Time Remaining: 27 Hours, 41 Minutes
Target: Tier-1 Wildfang Wolf
Eli's fingers brushed the hilt of his short blade.
His eyes sharpened.
No more fear.
No more waiting to be strong.
The forest thickened as Eli moved deeper, boots crunching softly against the moss covered underbrush. The moon was waning now, offering less light, but his senses were sharp. He'd studied the Wildfang wolf territorial, fast, and unpredictable. A Tier-1 mana beast, but no pushover. It had razor-edged claws and a jaw strong enough to snap bones clean through.
He crouched near a small clearing where claw marks raked the bark of nearby trees.
This is it.
Reaching into his satchel, he scattered the scent bait dried meat soaked in beast blood and backed into the shadows, positioning himself behind a fallen log. He gripped his sword tight, knuckles pale.
Minutes passed.
Then… a low growl.
Bushes shifted. Twigs cracked.
A large figure emerged, fur bristling silver and black under the moonlight. The Wildfang's eyes glowed faintly red, its snout twitching.
It sniffed the air once. Twice.
Then lunged for the bait.
Eli didn't hesitate.
He surged from his hiding spot, sword slashing downward with all the force he could muster. The blade nicked its shoulder drawing blood, but not deep enough. The wolf snarled in fury and turned, leaping with startling speed.
Eli barely rolled away in time, its claws scraping the leather of his jacket.
"It's too fast," Eli thought, heart pounding against his chest as the Wildfang wolf blurred past his vision once more, a silver streak of muscle and fury.
He barely raised his blade in time to deflect a claw swipe aimed at his torso. The force still knocked him back, boots scraping against damp soil as he struggled to maintain footing.
This thing's reading my movements… it's not just fast, it's smart.
The wolf growled, low and menacing, crimson eyes locked on him with predatory focus. Blood dripped from the shallow cut Eli had managed to land earlier. It wasn't enough. Not nearly.
His breaths came in sharp, uneven gasps. The pain in his ribs still throbbed from being thrown into a tree minutes ago.
I need to change the rhythm… get it to commit.
Eli dug into his satchel, fingers wrapping around a small flashstone a low grade blinding item. He tucked it in his palm and slowly began to circle, sword raised. The wolf mirrored him, muscles coiled to pounce.
Then he threw it.
Bang!
A burst of white light exploded between them. The wolf yelped, staggering back, eyes dazed.